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If I could give 10 stars I would If I could give 10 stars I would Such an amazing service so needed during the times when EDD almost never picks up Claimyr gets me on the phone with EDD every time without fail faster. A much needed service without Claimyr I would have never received the payment I needed to support me during my postpartum recovery. Thank you so much Claimyr!
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Really made a difference, save me time and energy from going to a local office for making the call.
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Was a bit nervous or untrusting at first, but my calls went thru. First time the wait was a bit long but their customer chat line on their page was helpful and put me at ease that I would receive my call. Today my call dropped because of EDD and Claimyr heard my concern on the same chat and another call was made within the hour.
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An incredibly helpful service! Got me connected to a CA EDD agent without major hassle (outside of EDD's agents dropping calls – which Claimyr has free protection for). If you need to file a new claim and can't do it online, pay the $ to Claimyr to get the process started. Absolutely worth it!
Consistent,frustration free, quality Service.
Used this service a couple times now. Before I'd call 200 times in less than a weak frustrated as can be. But using claimyr with a couple hours of waiting i was on the line with an representative or on hold. Dropped a couple times but each reconnected not long after and was mission accomplished, thanks to Claimyr.
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I tried for weeks to get thru to EDD PFL program with no luck. I gave this a try thinking it may be a scam. OMG! It worked and They got thru within an hour and my claim is going to finally get paid!! I upgraded to the $60 call. Best $60 spent!
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Thanks for asking this question! I'm actually in a similar situation where I might need to return earlier than expected. Reading through all these responses has been super helpful. It sounds like the key takeaway is to contact EDD ASAP and document everything. I'm definitely going to try the online portal first like @Natalia Stone mentioned, but good to know about the calling service as a backup option if I can't get through. Really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences - this community is so helpful! 🙏
Welcome to the community! 😊 I'm glad you found all the responses helpful too. I was in the exact same boat a few months ago and this group really saved me from making some costly mistakes. The online portal route is definitely worth trying first - much less stressful than sitting on hold for hours! And yes, documenting everything is crucial. I learned that the hard way when I had to prove a conversation I had with an agent. Good luck with your situation, and don't hesitate to ask if you run into any issues!
I went through this exact situation about 6 months ago! Definitely call EDD as soon as possible - I made the mistake of waiting a few days thinking it wouldn't matter, but they told me I should have reported it immediately. The good news is they were able to update my return date without too much hassle once I got through to someone. Just be prepared for potentially long wait times on the phone. Also, make sure you have your claim number ready and be clear about your new return date. They'll ask you to confirm it multiple times. One thing that helped me was writing down exactly what I wanted to say before calling so I didn't get flustered. Hope this helps and congrats on being able to return to work sooner! 💪
Thanks for sharing your experience! It's really helpful to hear from someone who's been through this exact situation. I'm curious - when you say they told you that you should have reported it immediately, did they mention any specific timeframe? Like, is there a certain number of days you have to report changes? I want to make sure I don't make the same mistake if I ever need to update my dates. Also, writing down what to say beforehand is such a smart tip - I get so nervous on important calls like that! 😅
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As a new member here, I just want to echo everyone's advice about not waiting until the last minute! I'm currently pregnant with my first and reading through this thread has been incredibly educational. The 1-year deadline seems so much stricter than I realized - I had no idea you needed to actually START the leave before the birthday, not just apply. @Zoe Alexopoulos I'm so glad you got everything sorted out in time! Your success story gives me hope that with proper planning it's totally manageable. And @Chanaii Hgmg I really hope your appeal works out - the fact that you received those 5 days of benefits shows you did start properly before the deadline. One question for the group - for those who used intermittent bonding leave, how did you coordinate the scheduling with your employer? Did you need to give them specific dates in advance, or were you able to be more flexible with when you took the remaining weeks?
@Keisha Johnson Great question about intermittent leave scheduling! As a newcomer here too, I ve'been wondering the same thing. From what I ve'read in this thread, it sounds like employer approval is key for splitting up the 8 weeks - @Zoe Alexopoulos mentioned her company let her take 3 weeks initially and save 5 weeks for later in the year, which sounds like an ideal setup. I d'imagine you d'want to discuss this with HR early in the process when you re'filing your DE2508 form, so they can plan coverage and document the arrangement properly. The flexibility would be amazing for managing childcare and work demands throughout that first year! Also wanted to say how helpful this thread has been for learning about all the nuances of PFL baby bonding - the real experiences shared here are so much more valuable than trying to decode the official EDD guidelines alone!
@Keisha Johnson That s'such a smart question to ask while you re'still planning ahead! From what I ve'seen in other threads, intermittent bonding leave coordination really depends on your specific employer s'policies. Some are super flexible and let you give shorter notice like (a few weeks ,)while others want the full schedule mapped out when you submit your initial paperwork. I d'suggest having a conversation with your HR department early - maybe around your 3rd trimester - to understand their specific requirements. Some employers are great about letting you adjust dates as needed especially (if baby arrives early/late ,)while others are more rigid. The key seems to be getting any intermittent arrangement documented properly so both EDD and your employer are on the same page about your planned leave schedule. Congrats on your pregnancy! It sounds like you re'being super proactive about planning, which is exactly what this thread shows is so important for navigating the PFL system successfully.
As a new member here, I'm so grateful I found this thread! I'm currently 8 months pregnant and had been planning to figure out the baby bonding leave "later" - but reading through everyone's experiences has made me realize I need to start planning NOW. The strict 1-year deadline is honestly shocking - I had no idea you had to actually START the leave before the birthday, not just apply. @Zoe Alexopoulos your story is both terrifying and inspiring! I can't imagine the panic of realizing you almost missed the deadline, but I'm so glad you were able to get everything sorted out in time. Your success gives me confidence that with proper planning it's totally doable. I'm definitely going to start researching the DE2508 form and having conversations with my HR department ASAP. This thread has been more educational than anything I've found on the EDD website - thank you all for sharing your real experiences and advice!
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I went through this exact same situation 3 months ago! Switched from debit card to direct deposit for my bonding leave and it took 7 business days for the first payment to hit my account. I was freaking out just like you are now. The key thing I learned is that "business days" doesn't include weekends, so if you made the switch on a Friday, that whole weekend doesn't count toward the timeline. Also, I found that calling EDD around 8:02 AM right when they open gives you the best chance of getting through quickly. Hang in there - it's so stressful with a new baby but the money will come!
This is really reassuring to hear! I'm in a similar situation right now - just switched to direct deposit for my PFL bonding leave and it's only been 3 business days but I'm already getting anxious. Good tip about the business days not including weekends - I hadn't thought about that! Did you have to provide any additional verification when you called, or were they able to confirm everything was processing normally just with your basic info?
When I called EDD they just needed my SSN and claim number to pull up my account. They were able to see immediately that my direct deposit info was verified and the payment was in the queue - really put my mind at ease! The agent told me that if there were any issues with bank verification, it would show a specific code on their end. Since you're only at 3 business days, you're probably right on track for a normal timeline. The waiting is definitely the hardest part when you're counting on that money!
I'm currently dealing with this exact same situation! Just switched from debit card to direct deposit for my PFL bonding benefits 5 days ago and still waiting. Reading through all these experiences is both reassuring and nerve-wracking - sounds like anywhere from 2 days to 2 weeks is possible! 😅 At least now I know 6-7 business days seems to be the most common timeline for the first direct deposit. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - it really helps to know we're not alone in this stressful waiting game with EDD!
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I'm going through something similar right now! I got PFL checks while my employer was supposed to cover the difference, and I'm so confused about what to do. Reading through all these responses is really helpful - sounds like the key is definitely getting through to an actual EDD person to document everything properly, not just mailing the checks back. @Micah Franklin - you're definitely not alone in this confusion! The whole system of employer benefits + state benefits is so poorly explained. I hope you get through to someone soon. Let us know what happens! Has anyone tried calling EDD super early in the morning like 7:55am right before they open? I've heard that sometimes works better than calling right at 8am when everyone else is calling too.
I haven't tried the 7:55am trick but that's genius! I've been calling right at 8am when their lines open and just getting busy signals. I'll definitely try calling a few minutes early tomorrow - maybe their system lets calls through before the official start time. Thanks for the tip! And yeah, this whole employer + state benefits thing is so confusing. My company's HR just said "apply for everything" without explaining which benefits I actually qualified for. Really hoping we both get this sorted out soon!
I'm dealing with something very similar! Got SDI checks while on employer-paid leave and panicking about the same things. After reading all these responses, I'm definitely going to try the early morning calling strategy AND use certified mail as backup. One thing I learned from my HR department - they said to make sure I document EVERYTHING because sometimes these situations can take months to fully resolve. I'm keeping a spreadsheet with dates, times of calls, reference numbers, etc. Also wanted to mention - if you have a union representative at work, they might be able to help navigate this too. Mine was actually the one who told me about the potential tax form issues @PrinceJoe mentioned. Hang in there! You're being super responsible by handling this proactively instead of just cashing the checks and hoping for the best like some people do.
Javier Garcia
I'm going through something similar with my grandmother who needs care after a fall. One thing I wanted to add that hasn't been mentioned - make sure you check if your employer offers any additional paid family leave benefits beyond what California PFL provides. Some companies have policies that supplement the 60-70% wage replacement or provide full pay for a certain number of days. Also, since you're dealing with a stroke specifically, you might want to connect with your local Area Agency on Aging or stroke support groups. They often have resources about navigating care benefits and can sometimes help with paperwork or provide advocacy if you run into issues with EDD. The stroke recovery timeline can be unpredictable, so having all your documentation organized from the start will help if you need to extend your leave beyond the initial period. Good luck with everything!
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Leslie Parker
•This is really great additional advice! I hadn't thought about checking with my employer about supplemental benefits - I'll definitely ask HR about that tomorrow. The stroke support group idea is brilliant too. My dad's occupational therapist mentioned something about community resources, so I'll ask her about local agencies that might help. You're absolutely right about the unpredictable timeline. The doctors have been pretty vague about his recovery expectations, just saying "we'll see how he progresses." It's scary not knowing if 30 days will be enough or if we'll need longer. I'm glad I'm getting all this paperwork sorted out now rather than scrambling later if we need to extend. Thank you for thinking of the stroke-specific resources - that's exactly the kind of practical help I need right now!
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Marcelle Drum
I went through this exact situation with my mom after her stroke two years ago. One thing that really helped me was creating a simple daily care log from day one - just noting what assistance I provided each day (helping with medications, physical therapy exercises, meal prep, transportation to appointments, etc.). The EDD never asked for it, but having that detailed record gave me peace of mind and could have been useful if they questioned my claim. I also took photos of any adaptive equipment I helped set up in her home (grab bars, shower chair, etc.) as additional documentation of the care environment. Another tip - if your dad will need ongoing therapy appointments (PT, OT, speech), those transportation and assistance hours count toward your care time too. I didn't realize this initially and was only tracking direct personal care. The whole process took about 2-3 weeks for my first payment, but it was such a relief when it finally came through. Hang in there - you're doing everything right by getting this sorted out early!
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Isabella Ferreira
•Thank you for the detailed advice about documenting care! I'm definitely going to start that daily log right away. I hadn't thought about photographing the adaptive equipment - that's really smart. The hospital discharge planner mentioned we'll need to get some safety equipment installed before he comes home, so I'll document all of that. It's really reassuring to hear from someone who went through this exact situation with a stroke patient. The therapy appointments are a great point too - his neurologist already scheduled him for PT and speech therapy starting next week, so I'll make sure to track all the time spent getting him to those appointments and helping with exercises at home. Two to three weeks for the first payment sounds manageable, especially knowing what to expect. Thanks for sharing your experience - it's exactly what I needed to hear right now!
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